Automotive manufacturers continuously develop devices intended to improve vehicle safety. Moreover, automotive manufacturers are particularly concerned with intrusion into the passenger compartment, which can increase the risk of serious injury to vehicle occupants.
It is well known that deformation of an automotive structure can absorb some kinetic energy from an impact. Accordingly, kinetic energy from an impact can be used to bend the automotive structure instead of causing intrusion into the passenger compartment. As a result, the associated risk of vehicle occupant injury can be decreased.
Existing vehicle frames include structures that promote bending for impact energy management, for example via deformations that weaken the frame structure to promote bending at the location of the deformation. These frames, however, do not promote bending of a shotgun frame element in a region adjacent to the hinge pillar upon front impact. The result of not promoting controlled bending in this area is that bending occurs in an uncontrolled manner. This can result in downward bending of the shotgun in an area adjacent the hinge pillar, which can be combined with downward bending of the backup structure at the hinge pillar, leading to undesirable vehicle pitch during front impacts.